Peed for hatch packaging machines



June 28, 1932. R4 s. PULLEN ET Al.

FEED FOR MATCH PACKAGING MACHINES Filed Feb. 2l. 193@ 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 5. Fe/a A? Maf/ery LJ @raw lllli l 4 l x r l lx R, s. PULLEN ET AL 1,864,760

June 28, 1932.

FEED FCR MATCH PACKAGING MACHINES Filed Feb. 21. 195C 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Crowelf/J?,

R. s PuLLr-:N ET Al. 1,864,760

MACHINES June 28, 1932.

FEED FOR MATCH PACKAGING 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 2l. 1930 y f- 34; y:

mi may fa/:y

June 28, 1932. Rl 5l PULLEN ET AL 1,864,760

FEED FOR MATCH PACKAGING MACHINES Filed Feb. 2l, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 June 28, 1932. 1,864,760

R. S. PULLEN ET AL FEED FOR MATCH PACKAGING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 21. 1930 [IU DI] DDD JH, ""jjl' gaes- /X \l/ vf/ Inventors 8f 145 7E man a William J To we ZLJJ?,

Patented June 28, 1932 BODNEY B. PULLEN, OF-IHIILADELPHIA, AND' WILLIAM J'. UBWELL, JR., 0F WYNCOTE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS T PULLENLITE COMPANY, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENN- BYLVANIA, .A CORPORATION 0F PENNSYLVANIA 11min Foa Maron PACKAGING nacnntns Applieatirm led February 21, 1330. Serial No'. 480.216.

Our invention 4relates to mechanism for delivering matches from 'a hopper to one or more conveyor blocks or to one or more match packets. v

A purpose of our invention is to rovide oscillating wall mem ers parallel Ito ythe individually may iication ,an

matches and preferably having opposing' members oscillating in o posite directions, the oscillation being eit er rectilinear or aun arr further purpose is to laterall oscillate one or more rods in the interior o a hopper of the character indicated, making the rods generali parallel to the matches thereof and the oscil ation alon a path or paths that ine either rectilinear 'or curved and that may or may not be endless. A further pur ose is to use 4an auxiliary hopper and auxi iary push rods in order to insure against misses'in the matches of one or more charged conveyor blocks or one or more packet wraps charged with matches the blocks or wraps being initially charge in any suitable way as by means of a first hopper and push rods. El We use the presence ofthe .individual matches in a charged conveyor block or a.

charged-packet wra to determine the nonoperation of indivi ual charging rods at an auxiliary hopper, providing means whereby the rods at the auxiliary hopper operate at any missed divisions of the presented block or packet wra andfdo not operate at the divisions alrea y containing matches.

'Further (purposes will .appear in the speciin the claims. We have elected to illustrate one -main 'form only of our invention,y showing however a detail modification and selecting a main form and modification that are racti- .calan elicient in' operation and whic well illstrate the principles' involved.

igure 1 is-a and somewhat .conveyor blocks for sub diagrammatic plan view illustrating a desirable embodiment of our invention, the view corres onding to a horizontal section taken upon Ae line 1--1 of Figure 2. l

Figure 2 isa partlysectioned front elevation of Figure 1. y

Figures 3 and 4 are vertical sections of Figure 1 Epectivel taken upon the lines 3-3 and thereo' Figure 5 is a vertical section corresponding to a fra ent of Figure 4 but showing a detail modi cation.

Figure 6 is a detail section to scale taken uponthe line 6--6 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 1s a section'of Figure 6 taken upon the line 7 7 thereof.`

Fi re 8 is a diagrammatic View correspon ing generally to Figure 3 but illustrat-` ing a form di'erent from thatishown inv Fi re 3, Fi ures 1 to 3 showin the matches de ivering m .a plurality o holppers to uent de very Aat a subsequent position of e blocks into a plurality of match packet wraps while Figure 8 shows the matches as deliverin directenlarged ly from the hopper into a plurality o packet blanks Figures 9 'and 10 are detailsections taken upon the line 9 9 and 10-'-10 respectively of Figure 11 is a fragmentary right end elevation of F 1.

Figure 12 1s a' vertical section of Figure 1` i taken upgn the line 12-12 thereof.V Figures'13`,and 14 are fragmentary vertic'al sections correspondi to fra ents of Figures 3 and 4 respective y and ustralting a form 'of our match delivery mechanism that differs somewhat from thatl shown in Figures 3 and, 4 and is particularly advantage-5 ous.

Figures 15 and 16 are vertical and horizontal sections of Figure 13l taken respectively upon the'lin 1li-15 and 164-16 thereof,

some of the parts shownin Figure 13 being omitted in F1 re 16. *i

Describing in illustrationfand not in limitation and referring tothe drawings Our invention is believed to` have its widest application in automatic match packeting machines, usually relating specifically to mechanism for a match dellvery that may be either directly into the wrap portions of match packets or into conveyor blocks for subs nent delivery to wraps.

lIn t e embodiment of our invention illus-` blocks 16 that are mounted on or form the successive links of a sprocket chain the chain passing over suitable guide wheels not shown, alon a suitable stationary guide 17 and being intermittentl progressed alon the guideway by a muti ated gear 18 whic presents teeth 19 to downwardly presented 'teeth 20 on the blocks 16.

The shaft 21 is journaled in suitable bearings 22 anddriven continuously in any suitable way, as from a pulley 23 by a belt 24. It is shown extending transversely to the line of travel of the conveyor, and carrying a mitre gear 25, a drum cam 26 and a bevel gear 27. y

The gear 27 meshes with a gear 28 on a shaft 29 that ma desirabl comprise a main operating cam s aft of t e packeting mac ine, not shown.

The drum cam 26 reciprocates a match delivery plunger 30, an endless slot 31 `around the drum receiving a suitable roller 32 mounted upon the end of a suitable arm 33 rigidly fastened to the plunger through a plate 34. The late is adapted to reciprocate in a guiding s ot 35 of the stationary frame structure 36 of the machine, so that each rotation of the shaft 21 reciprocates the lunger 30 in a manner determined by the patllli of the slot 31.

The mitre gear 25 meshes with a gear 37 upon a shaft 38 which is mounted in suitable bearings 39 and carries a circumferentially slotted drum 40 and a bevel gear 41.

The drum 40`is provided with a succession of longitudinally spaced circumferential cam grooves 42 which receive the downwardly presented edges of levers 43 used to deter mine the operation of mechanism for filling an'yflissed spaces with matches.

bevel gear 41 (Figures 2 and 11) at the end of the shaft 38 meshes with a ear 44'up1on the lower end of VIa vertical sha t 45 whic operates stirringt mechanismY in the match hoppers, the sha being journaled at 46, gearing at 47 with a horizontal shaft 48 that is )ournaled at 49 and is geared at 50 and 51 to the shafts 52 and 53 respectively alon the front and back of the match hoppers 5 The conveyor receives an intermittent movement from the mutilated gear mechanism which is dmensioned so that each forward movement of the conveyor has a length gquali to that of three match block units side y si e. y

The match block units 16 of the conveyor are guided by stationar frame structure 17 horizontally across the line of discharge from the six match hoppers and at the end of each forward movement of th conve or, the blocks 56, 57 and 58 registering wit hopper sections 59, 60 and 61, are empty while the blocks 62, 63 and 64 re 'stering with the hopper sections 65, 66 an 67 have just been stepped forward from registry with the first three hopper sections and presumably and normali are now fully charged with matches receive from the first hoppers during the preceding rest period.

Abnormally, however, each of the 62, 63 and 64 blocks ma now be lacking any one or anyV number o its matches due to a miss 00 or incomplete functioning of the charging operation during the last eriodfof rest.

During the rest perio thej,v first three successive blocks receive a charge of matches from the bottom of the first three match hopper sections while the second set of three successive blocks receive any make-up matches needed incident to any incompletefunctioning of charging mechanism while the blocks were at the first three hopper sections during the preceding rest period.

The match hopper sections are all alike and successively separated by thin partitions 68 of theoomposite ho per.

Each hopper section has an inside length from front to rear slightly greater than that of the matches 69 and therefore about equal to the front-to-rear dimension of the individual match blocks of the conveyor.

The bottom of each hopper section comprises a rowr of upwardl rooved seats 70 or matches, the depth o t e grooves being such as to adapt them to hold a plurality o matches one on top of another and the width of the grooves adequate for eas?7 seating of a single match and too narrow or the resence of more than one match latera y in any groove.

The matches present their head ends toward the conveyor blocks.

The front wall 71 of all the hoppers is provided with a row of discharge openings 2 in front of the heads of the bottom matches in the groove seats 70 while a corresponding row of push rod openings 73 in the back wall 74 at thestick ends of the bottom matches affords a guidin entry for push rods 75 into the bottoms o the individual groove seats 70.

The push rods 75 of the first three hoppers las` continuously longitudinally interlock with the plunger 30, a downwardly directed rectangular notch 76 on the bottom of each push rod near 'the rear end thereof fitting over an 5 upwardly directed lug or key 77 of the plunger. All the rods are slid forward by each forward stroke of the plunger so that the forward end of each rod pushing a match ahead of it traverses its groove 70 to a position beyond the hopper at the rearward end of the alined groove scat 78 of the conveyor block 16, the return stroke of the plunger and of all the push rods leaving the matches in the alined grooves 7 8 of the l5 conveyor block.

Each push rod 75 has a square end 79 too small to engage more than one match stick endwhen it enters the groove70.

The plunger 30 and push rods 75 operate between stationary horizontal plates 81 and 82 that form part of the stationary frame structure of the machine.

The upper plate 81 forms a cover for the plunger and push rods, being upwardly grooved at 83rearwardly from its forward edge to receive and guide the push rods and is suitably fastened to the lower plate.

The lower plate 82 comprises a forward portion 17 machined to guide the conveyor blocks 16, and intermediate portion forming the bottom of the hoppers and a rearward portion S4 that guides and supports the plunger 30.

The lower plate is downwardly grooved at 70 to provide the groove seats for the matches, is downwardly recessed rearwardly' thereof at 85 to provide aguiding seat for the body of the plunger 30 and vertically slotted to 35 to pass and guide the plate 34 40 that makes operative connection with the drum cam 26.

The longitudinally interlocking connection between the operating plunger 30 and the push rods may be made in any one of a number of different ways of which l have shown two only for the push rods operating at the first set of hoppers, illustrated in Figures 3 and 13 to 16 and three only for the push rods operatin at the second set of hoppers, illustrated in *igures 4, `8 and.13-16 inclusive. j

In Figure 3 the plunger 30 is provided with upwardly projecting lugs 7 spaced along the forward edge of the plunger, each lug registering with a downwardly directed notch 76 of one of the push rods and having a thickness along front ofthe plate substantially that of the push rods.

. With this arrangement, the downwardly directed grooves 83 in the lupper plate 81 05 respectively upon the rearward ends of the individual groove seats and u on the forward end of the plunger 30, an reciprocatinfr every time the plunger reciprocates.

he longitudinal interlocking illustrated in Figures 13 to 16 inclusive is almost the same as in Figure 3 except that a continuous upwardly directed key or feather 77 is provlded along but somewhat inwardly from the front edge of the portion of the plunger 30 that lies directly back of the first three hoppers.

As before, the push rods present downwardly directed notches 7 6 over the upward projection from the plunger and are continuously su ported at their forward ends in the grooves 0.

As the key or feather 77 is continuous the bottom portions of the walls of the grooves 83 in the upper plate 81 are cut sulcientl to permit key or featherV to reciprocate below these walls that is (Figure 13 to the dotted line 86 which indicates the ottom line of the walls between the grooves that guide the push rods. Y

Any longitudinal interlocking between the plunger 30 and one or more of the push rods 87 of the last three hoppers only takes place in the event of a miss delivery at one or more of the plungers of the first three hoppers and we provide any suitable form of latching connection between the plungers andpush rods that is adapted to be made effective by the mere absence of a match or matches in the blocks when they are presented in' charging position at the second set of hoppers;

In Figures 4 and 8 the plunger 30 is provided w1th forwardly directed fingers 88 or 88 that press resiliently downward and are each provided with an upwardly projecting toe 89 or 89 that is adapted to seat 1n a down- The fingers have hingeconnection at 91 or 91 with the body of the plunger, the fingers being shown as an integral portion of the plunger in Figure 8 and as separate members from the plunger in FiV re 4.

In the construction of iures 8 and 9 the fingers are formed by Ysuita ly cutting away the metal at 92 intermediate the fingers and at 93 at the roots of the fingers to form thin resilient hinge connections 91 between the body of the plungers and the individual finers. g The forward portions of the fingers are given a slight downward set so that the toes 89 if free to do so spring downward far enough to clear the front wall 94 of the recess` We cut away the lower edge of the wall 94 and provide rearwardly downwardly sloping grooves 95 for the individual fingers so that in retracted position the forward ends of the' fingers normally press down into the sloping grooves and as the plunger moves woardly directed recess 90 or 90 of the push d forward from its retracted position the toe 89 will normally ride up the slo e of the groove 95 under the lower edge o the wall 94 to rise in front of the wall after it has passed the wall into a groove 96 cut upwardly in the bottom of each finger forwardly of the wall 94.

On the return stroke the toe 89 slides down the slope of the groove 95 thus avoiding engagement with the wall 94.

Each finger thus normally reciprocates along the groove 95 without touching` the push rod, the toe 89 of the finger extending up into the groove 96 of the push rod during the forward portion of the stroke but sinking at the rear end of the stroke sufiiciently to miss the wall 94.

WVe downwardly slot the plate 82 at 97 from each of the grooves 95 at portions thereof registering with the finger when the plunger is retracted and mount a series of levers 43, one for each of the fingers 88.

The lovers 43 rest side by side in the cam slots 42 along the drum 40, extend forwardly under the conve or blocks to hook upwardly over the indivi ual groove seats 78 of the conveyor blocks 62, 63 and 64, and extend rearwardly and then upwardly at 98 into the slots 97.

The forward ends of the levers 43 are pulled resiliently downward by individual springs 99 and some distance rearwardly of the drum 40 the upper edges of the levers make individual loose notch connection with the bottom and preferably upwardly notched edge of a plate 100 fastened transversely across the tops of the levers to the bottom ofthe plate 82.

The forward ends 101 of the levers are de sirably registered exactly above the groove match seats 78 of the conveyor blocks by a suitable stationary guide 102 fastened in any suitable way to the frame structure of the machine.

The levers loosely pivot continuously upon the bottoms of the cam grooves in the drum 40 with the forward ends of the levers pulling resiliently downward under the action of the springs 99.

The dimensions and timing of the cam and lever are so selected that when the plunger 30 begins its forward stroke low portions of cam grooves 42 are presented agalnst the bottom edges of the levers and downward tipping of the forward ends of the levers are limited by an engagement between the bottom edges of the hook rtions 101 with either the forward ends of t e matches in the grooves 78 of the conveyor blocks or with the bottoms of these grooves.

The position of the rear end 9 8 of any lever is in the one case too low to engage the bottom of the downwardly sprung finger 88 and in the other case high enough toY engage and raise the finger 88 so that the toe thereof is back of the front wall 94 of the recess 90, thereby effecting operative engagement between the toe 89 and the push rod 75 during the ensuing stroke of the plunger 30 to feed a match into the empty groove of the conveyor block.

After the forward stroke of the plunger 30 has progressed forwardly sufliciently to support the finger in its raised position by reason of its engagement with a forward portion of the bottom of the groove 95, the cam member 4() raises the forward ends of all the levers with a resultant lifting of the hook ends 101 away from the groove seats 78 of the conveyor blocks and a depression of the rearward ends 98 by reason of a pivotal riding of the upper edges of the levers against the plate 100.

In the structure shown in Figures 14 to 16 the key member 773 which longitudinally interlocks the plunger to the individual push rods is separate from both the plunger and rod and only put to position for locking the plunger and push rods together in the event of an absence of a match in front of the plunger.

The push rods 75 are upwardly notched at 76 on the under side in registry with rectangular perforations 103 through the stationary plate 82 and also in registry when the plunger is in retracted position with rectangular perforations 104 through the plunger near the front end thereof.

Normally the keys 773 are down in the perforations 103 through the bottom plate 82, each being supported from dropping down through the perforation by an up-turned end 98 of the lever 43.

As long as the members 773 are in this position reciprocation of the plunger 30 does not move the push rods, andthe presence of the matches in the individual grooves 78 of the conveyor blocks prevent t e individual levers from shifting their respective keys 773 into locking position, which is that illustrated in Figure 14.

When or if a match be absent and the plunger 30 is in retracted position the front end 101 of the corresponding lever 43 moves down to the bottom of the roove 78, the upturned end 98 of the lever ifting the key to the position shown in Figure 14 in which it locks the push rod and plunger together.

When the plunger moves forward the key 773 is still held in its locking position, the bottom of the key sliding over the upturned end 89 of the lever 43.

As soon as the key passes the forward wall of the perforation 103 through the plate 82 it is prevented from escape and remains in place throughout the reciprocatin movement of the plunger and push rod, ropping down to inoperative position when the plun er retracts provided that there is now a mato present in the groove 78.

Lee-1,760

There is some tendency for the forward movement of the plunger to move the push rod forward even when the key is not in place and to prevent this I preferably downwardly notch the rearward ends of the push rods at 105 and provide beveled click members 105 in position to latch into these notches when the push rods are in retracted position, so as to spring press the push rods to their retracted positions.

The click members 105' are springresscd downwardly into the notches 105 t rough suitable perforations 1052 in the top of the plate 81, and automatically latch into the beveled notches on the top of the push rods when the ush rods are retracted.

The click members thus resiliently press the push rods to their retracted position so that considerable force is necessary before the push rods can be pushed forward, thereby insuring no movement of the push rods unless the key members 77 s are in locking position.

The lower plate member 82 fastens to the stationary frame structure in any suitable way not shown and the upper plate 81 removably fastens to the lower plate, as by suitable screws 107.

When these screws are removed, the upper plate lifts away giving access and easy individual removal of the push rods 75 and of the plunger 30.

The groove seats 70 in the bottoms of the hopper sections have preferably a depth sufficient to hold a plurality of matches, desirably four, one on top of another.

We find it desirable to agitata the matches above the groove seats 70 so that the supply matches may keep feeding into the groove seats and important features of our invention are directed to desirable mechanism for effecting this agitation of the matches in the supply portions of the hopper sections.

We make suitable portions 108 of the side walls of each hopper section slowly reciprocate transversely to the matches either angularly or rectilinearly, and preferably also place in each hopper section one or more rods 109 in vertical planes parallel to the desired match alinements, and give these rods transverse movements either in vertical or horizontal directionsy for securing a simultaneous agitation and proper alining of the matches.

In the structure shown in Figures 1 to 3 the side wall portions 108 are in mid-positions alined with the side walls of the respective hopper sections, the intermediate members 108 comprising movable portions of the partition walls 68, each of which forms one sidewall of two hopper sections.

Each member 108 carries alined pivot pins 1,10 and 111 journaling respectively in perforations in the front and rear walls 71 and 74 and alined crank pins 112 and 113 that extend from the front and rear ends of the member through suitable arcuate slots in the front and rear walls of the ho pers into endless cam grooves 114 of barrelp cams 115 and 116 upon the rotating shafts 52 and 53.

These shafts have journal support at 117 and 118 respectively across the front and rear of the hopper sections, are driven from the gearing and 51 as already described, and carry the drum cams 115 and 116 which present the endless cam grooves to the crank pins, thereby slowly rocking the plate inemers 108 about their pivot pins 110.

Preferably the cam grooves are formed so that the plates upon opposite sides of any hopper section rock in opposite directions.

In the modified form shown in Figure 5 the plate members 108 are guided to reetilinear movements, as by pin and slot connections 119 and 120 near the top and bottom of each end of the plate with front and rear hopper walls and the lates are laterally reciprocated by pins 1 1 which project through suitable .slots to the endless cam groove of the barrel cam 115 on the shaft 52 The rods 109 are preferably in vertical planes parallel to the matches and have front and rear ends 122 and 123 that pass through suitable slots 124 in the front and rear walls of the hopper to find support in holes 125 of front and rear vertical plates 126 and 127. The lates 126 and 127 are transverse to the rodi; 109, give a bearing support to all of the rods 109 and are each limited to movements in a vertical lane by suitable guides, as by spaced bracket strips 128 fastened above the plates to the end walls of the hopper.

Each of the plates 126 and 127 carries laterally spaced feet 129 and 130 that ride on suitable cams 131 and 132 on the shafts 52 and 53, which move the plates back and forth and vertically and horizontally either or both, as deemed most desirable.

It will be seen that the continuously rotating barrel members 115 and 116 simultaneously move the plate members 108 and the rods 109 in the way desired and they thus effectively agitate the matches in the supply portions of the hopper sections ina way to insure proper feed of the matches into the groove seats at the bottoms of the hopper sections.

In the structure thus far described the matches are delivered head ends foremost out of the hoppers into groove seats 78 of conveyor blocks whence they are to be subsequently delivered stick ends foremost into the wraps of match packets.

Optionally we m'ay deliver the matches from the bottoms of the hoppers directly into izo Gli

the wraps of match packets and illustrate this in Figure 8.

In Figure 8 the mechanism for delivering the matches out of the hopper and for agitating the matches above the bottom groove seats may all be in substantial accord with that already described.

In this figure the feet 129 and 130 are shown resting on the radial cams 131 and 132 and presenting downward pins 129' and 130 into endless cam slots 131 and 132 adapted to reciprocate the plates 126 and 127 and therefore the agitating wires 109 both vertically and horizontally.

The matches however are placed with their stick ends toward the delivery side of the hopper so that the push rods engage the heads of the matches and have their engaging ends desirably recessed or cupped slightly at 134 in order to provide better engagement with the match heads.

The delivery openings 72 out of the hopper have to be too small to permit more than a single match stick to enter at a time and yet have to be adapted to pass the match head.

In order to accomplish this we provide a rubber member 135 along the delivery side of the bottom of the hoppers providing openings 72' in registry with the bottoms of the grooves 70, the openings 72 being large enough t0 permit the entry of single matches but too small for an entry of more than one match ata time.

The rubber delivery portal 135 is shown held to place by a metal plate 136 which is provided with openings 137 in front of and larger than the openings 72 through the rubber. i

The wraps may be positioned for receiving the matches as they are delivered by the push rods from the openings 72 in any suitable way, preferably by automatic machinery synchronized with the movements of the conveyor and match delivery mechanism.

In the illustrations we indicate that the wraps 138 are mounted in proper registry by hand upon interchangeable auxiliary blocks 13%), three wraps upon each auxiliary block', each of which has the length of three of the conveyor blocks 16.

The short and long flaps 140 and 141 of the wraps are turned up along the rearward and forward sides of the block with suitable perforations 142 and 143 of the wrap registering across the ends of downwardly directed match guiding grooves 144 on the bottoms of the auxiliary blocks.

The downwardly directed grooved guides 144 replace the rearward portions of the groove seats on the block 16 and are adapted to aline and register with upwardly directed short groove seats 7 8 on the block 16 and also with the match delivery openings 721.

It will we seen that the match stick ortions between the short and long flap of t e wrap are in the downwardly directed grooves 144 of the member 139, and that the projecting stick end portions are in the upwardly directed grooves of the block, these latter grooves ending forwardly from the long flap 141.

IVe find it advantageous to reciprocate the upper portion of the spaced walls between the groove match seats 70 in the bottoms of the hoppers.

Preferably the lower portion of these walls should have no movement in that they should form stationary guides for the push rods during the reciprocation of these members.

In Figures 6, 7 and 12, we show the lower portions 145 of the walls rigid with the bottom plate 82 and the upper portions 146 adapted to rock upon the lower portions, having tongue and groove connections with the lower portions.

The front and rear walls of the hopper are longitudinally slotted at 147 and the rocking members 146 have extensions 149 into the slots.

Pins 150 extend inwardly between the extensions 149 from slide members 151 to angularlv position the plates '146.

The pins 15() preferably extend inwardly to the inside surfaces of the front and rear walls. have a diameter equal to the spacing between the extensions 149 so that the openings 147 are substantially closed by the pins and the extensions 149. thus preventing any entry of matches into these openings.

The slides 151 carrying the pins 150 are longitudinally reciprocated to rock the Wall members 146 beinfir limited to longitudinal movement by suitable guide plates 152, presenting hook extensions 153 to undulating cam surfaces 154 on the ends of shafts 52 and 53 and beingr spring-pulled at 155 in a direction to maintain contact between the hook extensions and the cams.

'The continual rocking back and forth of the wall members 146 between the seats 70 materially assists in maintaining a proper feed of matches into the groove seats.

An operator places three of the wraps in position upon an auxiliary block as indicated in Figures 8 and 10 and then positions the block upon the three conveyor block units 16 that are approaching the first of the match hoppers, preferably adjacent the rearward end of a similar blockat the first three hoppers.

Suitable registrir pin and socket connections 145 between the auxiliary block and the conveyor blocks secure exact registry between the downwardly directed grooves 144 of the auxiliary blocks and the upwardly directed grooves 782 of the three blocks upon which they are temporarily carried. Thus the downwardly directed grooves 144 (Fig ure 8) presented by the auxiliary blocks between the 11p-turned fiap portions 140 and 141 of the wrap exactly aline with upwardly directed grooves 782 upon the forward sides of the blocks 16 beyond the up-turned flaps 141 and the wra perforations 142 and 143 for match threa ing are respectively across the rearward ends of the grooves 144 and between and across the ooves 144 and 782.

It will be seen that t e wraps in sets of three are thus placed first in position to receive the charge of matches from the first three hoppers and then during the next charging stroke of the plunger 30 are in position in front of the second three hoppers to insure that any miss-functionin at the first three hop ers shall be correcte before the wraps fina ly leave the charging mechamsm.

After `the auxiliary blocks have passed the second set of hoppers the auxiliary blocks 139 are removed and the wrapping operation completed in any suitable way irrelevant to the present invention.

It will be evident that our invention is suitable not only for detecting vacant spaces and filling matches into spaces from or in which they are to be ackaged but also for filling matches into delElnite packages.

For the purpose of covering both of these conditions we have referred to both of these alike in some of our claims as packaging units or packeting units as the invention evidently is not dependent upon the particular character of the unit into which the match has been deposited.

It wil be evident that different kinds of exploring mechanism can be used for the purpose of automatically setting in motion, or reeing from motion, lilling mechanism of different character intended to place matches within conveyors or within match packages.

The character of the exploring mechanism will be varied, of course, to` suit the type of individual match selectin or feeding mechanism by which the matc es are separated out from the mass of matches from which they are fed and will be varied also according to the packaging unit with which 1t must cooperate at one end of its train and the feeding mechanism which it must set in operation or release from operation at the op osite end of its train.

Y ur illustration and descrip ticular type of match-selecting and matchfeeding and space-exploring mechanism has been determined, of course, by the requirements of the statute restrict the invention them.

In view of our invention and disclosure, variations and modifications to meet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident to others skilled in the to them or to any of art, to obtain all or part of the benefits off/match laterally,

tion of the parand is not intended tor so far as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scope of our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a match delivery hopper, a hopper bottom having a succession of match delivery grooves Von its upwardly directed surface, cach groove too narrow to hold more than one match laterally, two laterally spaced plates higher than the grooves, each parallel to the grooves and adapted to present asteep side along the sides of matches in the hopper and means for laterally and oppositely oscillating the plates in order to laterally agitate the matches, the simultaneous movements of the respective plates being in relatively opposite directions.

2. In a match delivery hopper, a hopper bottom having a succession of match delivery grooves on its upwardly directed surface, each too narrow to hold more than one match laterally, a plurality of plates higher than the grooves alined parallel to the rooves and dividin a lower portion of the o per into a plurality of hopper sections, each eeding downwardly into a plurality of the grooves, a pivot support for each plate adapting` it to be rocked on a lon itndinal axis and means for oppositely roc 'ng the successive plates on the pivots in order to laterally agitate the matches.

3. In a match delivery hopper, a hopper bottom having a succession of match delivery grooves on its upwardly directed surface, each too narrow to hold more than one match laterally, two laterally spaced plates forming parts of opposite sid 2s of the hopper, higher than the grooves and each parallel `to the grooves and adapted to present a steep side along the sides of matches in the hopper and means for laterally oscillating the plates 1n opposite directions in r)rder to laterally agitate the matches.

4. In a match hopper, a hopper bottom having a succession of match delivery grooves A 12o plates in opposite directions in order to laterally agitate the matches in the sections.

5. In a match delivery hopper, bottom having a succession of match delivery grooves on its upwardly directed surface, cach groove too narrow to hold more than onel a rod in a portion of the our invention without copying the structln/-eg-.ahopper above the grooves and in a vertical shown, and we,.therefore, claim all such- 'planeparallel to the grooves and means for a hopper reciprocating the rod in a direction transverse to its length in order to agitate and more perfectly aline the matches in the hop- Der.

6. In a match delivery hopper, a hopper bottom having a succession of match delivery grooves on its upwardly directed surface, each groove too narrow to hold more than one match laterally, a plurality of rods in the upper portion of the hopper in vertical planes parallel to the groove and means for moving the rods in directions transverse to their lengths in order to agitate the matches above the grooves.

7. In a multi-section match hopper for simultaneously feeding a plurality of match carrying members, a bottom for each section having a succession of match delivery grooves on its upwardly directed surface each too narrow to hold more than one match laterally, alternately7 high and low wall portions in each section higher and parallel to the grooves and means for rocking ths` wall portions laterally in order to more effectively feed the matches into the grooves.

8. In a multi-section match hopper for simultaneously feeding a plurality of match carrying members, a bottom of each hopper section having a succession of match delivery grooves on its upwardly directed surface, each groove too narrow to hold more than one match laterally, side wall portions of each scction higher and parallel to the grooves, a rod in each section higher and in a vertical plane f parallel to the grooves and means for reciprocating the wall portions and the rods in planes perpendicular to the grooves.

9. In match packeting mechanism, a multisection match hopper including a charging section and a safety section adjacent thereto, bottoms for the sections having a succession of match delivery grooves side by side, an endless intermittently moving match conveyor, successive sections thereof transversely grooved for the matches adapted to come to rest at the rest periods of the conveyor before the hopper sections successively in' match delivery registry therewith, a plunger, individual push rods alined with the individual grooves of both hopper sections and adapted to be moved along said grooves by each forward stroke of the plunger to deliver matches from the hopper grooves to the alined grooves of the conveyor and means operative by the presence of matches in the conveyor section grooves when the said section comes to rest in registry with the grooves of the safety hopper section for preventing operative connection between Ythe plunger and the push rods then alined with the said present matches.

10. In match packeting mechanism, a safety hopper havlng match delivery seats, a conveyor having blocks adapted to come successively to rest before the safety hopper,

match receiving seats on each block alining with the delivery seats of the hopper when the block is at rest in front of the hopper, means operative during a rest period of the conveyor adapted to feed matches from the delivery seats of the hopper into the corresponding receiving seats in registry therewith in combination with other means operative during a rest period of the conveyor by the presence of matches in the individual receiving seats alining with the delivery seats to prevent the operation of the said first means at the receiving grooves already charged with matches.

11. In match packeting mechanism, a charging hopper and a safety hopper adjacent thereto, transversely alined match delivery seats in the hoppers, a conveyor having blocks adapted to come successively to rest before the charging hopper and the safety hopper, match receiving seats on the block alining at rest with the delivery seats of the charging hopper and subsequently alining at rest with delivery seats of the safety hopper, means operative during each rest period of the conveyor adapted to feed matches from the delivery seats of both hoppers to the corresponding receiving seats on the conveyor, and other means operative during each rest period individu ally at the alined delivery and receiving seats of the safety hopper and conveyor respectively by the presence of matches in the said last receiving seats for preventing the operation of said first means at the said last ahned seats.

12. In match packeting mechanism, a. safety hopper, match delivery seats therein, an intermittent conveyor, match receiving seats thereon adapted to aline with the delivery seats of the hopper during a rest period of the conveyor, push rods rearwardly alinedwith the delivery seats and adapted to slide therealong for delivering matches therefrom to the receiving seats alined therewith, a plunger having a forward and rearward range of movement in the direction of the seats, a latch for each push rod adapted to loclc the rearward end of the push rod to the plunger when the plunger is retracted, rocker members for the individual push rods, eachhaving a range of angular movement with one portion adapted to effect the latching engagement between the push rod and plunger when the rocker is swung to one angular position While the plunger is retracted and another portion thereof adapted to ehgage a match in the receiving seat alined with the delivery seat to prevent the rocker from reaching the said latching position and to permit its latching position if the match is absent from the said receiving seat, a cam synchronized with the plunger adapted to retract the rocker from latching position after the plunger has moved forward and to permit its quick return ,to latching position after the plunger has again retracted, and spring means for maintaining engagement between the lever and cam.

13. In match packeting mechanism, a safety hopper, match delivery seats therein, an intermittent conveyor, match receiving seats thereon adapted to be alined by the conveyor with the delivery seats of the hopper during a rest period of the conveyor, push rods rearwardly alined with the delivery seats and adapted to slide therealong for delivery matches therefrom to the receiving seats alined therewith, a plunger having a forward and rearward range of movement in the direction of the seats, a latch adapted to lock the rearward end of each push rod to the plunger when the plunger is retracted, rocker members for the individual push rods adapted to stop against the matches present in the receiving seats and the rocker when not thus stopped being adapted to effect the said latching" while the plunger is retracted and until the plunger has progressed somewhat on its forward stroke, and means for positively retracting the rocker after the plunger has progressed somewhat on its forward stroke, any engagement between the match in the receiving seat and the rocker preventing the said latching'while the additional angular movement incident to the absence of a match in the receiving seat permits the said latchmg. v

14. In match packeting mechanism, a safety hopper, match delivery seats therein, an intermittent conveyor, match receiving seats thereon adapted to aline with the delivery seats of the hopper during a rest period of the conveyor, push rods rearwardly alined with the delivery seats and adapted to slide therealong for delivering matches therefrom to the receiving seats alined therewith, a

plunger having a forward and rearward range of movement in the direction of the seats, a latch adapted to lock the rearward end of each push rod to the plunger when the plunger is retracted, rockers under the individually alined seats, cam supports therefor, a hook upon the front end of the rocker adapted to enter the receiving seat and to engage and stop against a match whenevera match is present in the said seat during the downward movement of the hook and a latch connection between the plunger and the rearward, end of the push rod effected by a rearward upward projection from the rocker whenever the rocker moves to the end of its angular movement without stopping upon a match in the receiving seat.

15. In match packeting mechanism, a safety hopper, match delivery seats therein, an intermittent conveyor` match receiving seats thereon adapted to aline with the delivery seats of the hopper during a rest period of the conveyor, push rods rearwardly alined with the delivery seats and adapted to slide therealong for delivering matches therefrom to the receiving seats alined therewith, a plunger having a forward and rearward range of movement in the direction of the seats, a latch for each push rod ada ted to lock the rearward end of the push ro to the plunger when the plunger is retracted, rocker members for the individual push rods, each having a range of angular movement with one portion adapted to effect the latching engagement between the push rod and plunger when the rocker is swung to one angular position while the plunger is retracted and another portion thereof adapted to engage a match in the receiving seat alined with the delivery seat to prevent the rocker from reaching the said latching position and to permit its latching position if the match is absent from the said receiving scat, a cam synchronized with the plun er adapted to retract the rocker from latc ing position after the plunger has moved forward and to permit its quick return to latching position after the plunger has again retracted, and spring means for maintaining engagement between the lever and cam, the levers having horizontally spaced pivot supports presenting supporting surfaces to up er and lower sides of the lever, one of t e supports comprising the cam and the other a stop limiting angular movement of the lever about the cam incident to the pull of the spring.

16. In match packeting mechanism, a safety hopper, match delivery seats therein, an intermittent conveyor, match receiving seats thereon adapted to alinewith the delivery seats of the hopper during a rest period of the conveyor, push rods rearwardly alined with the delivery seats and adapted to slide therealong for delivering matches therefrom to the receiving seats alined therewith, a. plunger having a forward and rearward range of movement in the direction of the seats, a latch for each push rod adapted to lock the rearward end of the push rod to the plunger when the plunger is retracted, rocker members for the individual push rods, each having a range of angular movement with one portion adapted to effect the latching engagement between the push rod and plunger when the rocker is swung to one angular position while the plunger is retracted and another portion thereof adapted to engage a match in the receiving seat alined with the delivery seat to prevent the rocker from reaching the said latching position and to permit its latching position if the match is absent from the said receiving seat, a cam synchronized with the plunger adapted to retract the rocker from latchlng position after the plunger has moved forward and to permit its quick return to latching position after the plunger has again retracted, and spring means for maintaining engagement between the lever and cam, the plunger comprising a flat plat normally sliding back and forth under the push rods in substantial engagement with t e bottoms thereof, the forward end of the plate having a row of vertil cal perforations and the push rods recessed upwardly near the rearward end in registry with the perforations of the plunger when the plunger is in retracted position, a stationary plate forming the bottom of the plunger guideway and having a row `of vertical guideway openings registering with the perforations of the plunger when the plunger is retracted, movable eys, normally in the uideway openings in the bottom plate and a apted to pass upwardly into the plunger perforations proyecting upwardly into the plunger perforations projecting upwardly into the push rod recesses to lock the plunger to the ush rods, the inserted keys being prevented rom escape after the plunger moves somewlhat forward by the top of the bottom ate.

17. In match packeting mechanism, a safety hopper, match delivery seats therein, an intermittent conveyor, match receiving seats thereon adapted to aline with the delivery seats of the hopper during a rest period of the conve or, push rods rearwardly alined with the elivery seats and adapted to slide therealong for delivering matches therefrom to the receiving seats alined therewith, a plunger having a forward and rearward range of movement in the -direction of the seats, a latch for each push rod ada ted to lock the rearward end of the push rod) to the plun er when the plun er is retracted rocker mem rs for the individual push rods, each having a range of an lar movement with one portion adapted to e ect the latching engagement between the push rod and plunger when the rocker is swung to one an lar position while the plunger is retracte and another ortion thereof adapted to en age a match 1n the receiving seat alined wit the delivery seat to prevent the rocker from reaching the said latching position and to permit its latching position if the match is absent from the said receiving seat, a cam synchronized with the plunger adapted to retract the rocker from latchin position after the plun er has moved forwar and to permit its qulck return to latching position after the plunger has again retracted, and spring means for maintaining engagement between the lever and cam, the plunger comprising a flat plate normally, sliding back and forth under the push rods in substantial engagement with the bottoms thereof, and a resilient latch for each push rod normally holding the push rod in its retracted position during the reciprocation of the plunger but adapted to release when the push rod is definitely locked to the plunger permitting the plunger to move the push rod along its match delivery stroke, relatching when the plunger retracts the push bar.

18. In match packeting mechanism, a safety hopper, match delivery seats therein, an intermittent'conveyor, match receiving seats thereon adapted to aline with the delivery seats of the hopper during a rest eriod of the conve or, push rods rearward y alined with the elivery seats and adapted to slide therealong for delivering matches therefrom to the receiving seats alined therewith, a plunger having a forward and rearward range of movement in the direction of the seats, a latch for each push rod adapted to lock the rearward end of the push rod to the plunger when the plunger is retracted, rocker members for the mdivldual push rods, each having a range of angular movement with one portion adapted to effect the latchmg engagement between the push rod and plunger when the rocker is swung to one angular (position while the plunger is retracted an another portion thereof adapted to engage a match in the receiving seat alined with the delivery seat to prevent the rocker from reaching the said latching position and to permit its latching position if the match is absent from the said receiving seat, a cam synchronized with the plunger adapted to retract the rocker from latching osition after the plunger has moved forwar and to permit its quick return to latching position after the plunger has again retracted, and spring means for maintaining engagement between the lever and cam, the plunger comprising a flat plate normally sliding back and forth under the push rods in substantial engagement with the bottoms thereof, top and bottom plates guiding the plunger and push rods, the top plate being upwardly grooved to receive the push rods and the push rods in retracted position resting at the forward ends upon the bottom of the match delivery seat of the hopper and at the rearward end on the plunger.

19. In a match packeting machine, a reciprocating member, a match hopper holding a plurality of matches in filling position, a plurality of individual push rods adapted to push individual matches selectively into packeting units connecting mechanism between the individual rods and the reciprocating means and means for operating the individual connections controlled by the absence of matches in a packeting unit.

20. In a match packeting mechanism. a hopper adapted to hold a number of matches in filling position, a plurality of match packeting units in line with the matches, a pluand the individual push ro push rods and means o rated by the extent of movement of the devlce for fitting into the spaces for connecting the recprocating means s whereby push rods are actuated and matches are fed into those spaces not completely filled by the matches.

RODNEY S. PULLEN. WILLIAM J. CROWELL, JR.

CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1, 864,766. June 28, 1932.

RODNEY S. PULLEN ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 3, line 57, after the word "along" insert the word the, md line 118. for "plungers" read plunger; page 9, lines 1l and l2, claim 13, for "delivery" read delivering; page l0, line l, claim 16, for "plat" `read plate, and lines and 17, strike out the Words "into the plunger periorations projecting upwsrdly"; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 6th day of September, A. D. 1932.

M. J. Moore,

(Seal) Acting Comissioner of Patents...

. and the individual push ro push rods and means o rated by the extent of movement of the devlce for fitting into the spaces for connecting the recprocating means s whereby push rods are actuated and matches are fed into those spaces not completely filled by the matches.

RODNEY S. PULLEN. WILLIAM J. CROWELL, JR.

CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1, 864,766. June 28, 1932.

RODNEY S. PULLEN ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 3, line 57, after the word "along" insert the word the, md line 118. for "plungers" read plunger; page 9, lines 1l and l2, claim 13, for "delivery" read delivering; page l0, line l, claim 16, for "plat" `read plate, and lines and 17, strike out the Words "into the plunger periorations projecting upwsrdly"; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 6th day of September, A. D. 1932.

M. J. Moore,

(Seal) Acting Comissioner of Patents... 

